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Federal Climate Change Policy

Capitol Hill Day Meeting with Senator Klobuchar (D-MN)

From Left to Right: Rick Miller, National Hydropower Association; Senator Amy Klobuachar (D-MN); Mark Wagner, Johnson Controls; Lisa Jacobson, BCSE, Ned Hoyt, Econergy; George Williams, Sempra Energy

The Federal Policy Committee is designed to provide members with a forum to share information on relevant congressional activity of interest to the Council, discuss policy and specific issue concerns, and coordinate strategies and activities to best achieve clean energy policy priorities.

Upcoming Events
  • Committee Meetings & Information
  • Accomplishments & Workplan
  • Documents for Member Review & Comment
  • Recently Circulated Committee Documents
  • Federal Policy Work
  • American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009  (ARRA)
  • Green Jobs
  • Congressional Outreach
  • Staff Contact

    • Upcoming Events

    Committee Meetings

    The Federal Policy Committee meets regularly, every Tuesday, from 1:00 - 2:00 pm at the BCSE office in Washington, DC unless otherwise specified. This meeting is always accessible by teleconference. The call-in number is 1-888-409-0010, Passcode: 2776#.

     Accomplishments & Workplan

    Documents for Member Review & Comment

    Recently Circulated Committee Documents

    Federal Policy Work

     Here are the latest updates and key documents related to the Council's federal policy work:

    American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009

    2009 Policy Recommendations to the Obama Administration and 111th Congress

    BCSE Testimony Before House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommitee on Energy and Air Quality

    Senate Legislation

    Clean Energy Tax Credits

    Boxer Substitute Bill (S.3036) to Climate Security Act

    Lieberman - Warner Climate Security Act (S.2191)

    Fact Sheets 

     The Council sent these Fact Sheets to the Hill in advance of the debate on S.2191: 

    House Legislation

    U.S. EPA

    Issue & Legislation Comparison Documents

    Clean Energy Technology Deployment Title

    Public Policy Position Statements & Papers

    Green & Clean Energy Jobs 

    Congressional Outreach

    Oon April 24, 2009 the Council and the National Hydropower Association hosted a Congressional briefing on The Role of Energy Storage in a Clean Energy Economy, featuring a panel of its industry members - including Stephen Byrd, President, PSEG Holdings; Eladio Knipping, Senior Technical Manager, Environment, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); and Mike Jones, Director New Generation Development, Pacifica Gas & Electric. The focus of the panel was to show how energy storage technologies 1) enhance our nation’s energy independence by maximizing storage capacity to address resource variability and load management in the transportation and power sectors; 2) reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to meet our climate change goals; and 3) create new jobs in the sector of research & development, manufacture and operation of energy storage technologies and facilities. The energy storage technologies discussed included compressed aiir enegy storage (CAES), battery technology & plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and pumped hydro storage.

    On March 24, 2009 the Council, in partnership with the American Gas Association and the Gas Technology Institute presented a Congressional briefing on "Renewable Natural Gas: A Clean Solution to Energy and Climate Challenges".  Speakers included Mr. Jeff Petrash, Senior Managing Counsel, American Gas Association; Mr. Dan LeFevers, Executive Director, Gas Technology Institute; Mr. Chris Voell, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Mr. Rich Kessel, President & CEO, Environmental Power Corporation; and Ms. Marisa Uchin, Manager, Federal Government Affairs, PG&E Corporation. The panels discussed what renewable natural gas is, how it benefits the environment, and how it can help communities and create new jobs.

     On October 22, 2008 the Council co-hosted the briefing "Green Jobs: Re-energizing the American Economy" with the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), in partnership with the House Climate Change Caucus to discuss the potential for green jobs in the United States and the policies needed to support them.  The event was attended by over 150 people.  The briefing featured opening remarks by Carol Werner, Executive Director, EESI, and a panel including Michael Renner, Senior Researcher, Worldwatch Institute; Bracken Hendricks, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; Kevin McCarty, Managing Director of the Climate Protection Center, US Conference of Mayors; and BCSE member Mark Wagner, Vice President for Government Relations, Johnson Controls.

    On July 29, 2008 the Council co-presented a Congressional briefing with World Resources Institute and the California Institute on "The California Global Warming Solutions Act: What Can Congress Learn from the California Experience?" Panelists included: Mr. Anthony Eggert, Science and Technology Advisor, to Chair of the California Air Resources Board, Mr. Christopher Busch, Ph.D., Economist, California Climate Program, The Union of Concerned Scientists and Mr. Michael Murray, Director of Corporate Environmental Policy, Sempra Energy.

    On June 27, 2008 the Council, along with the House Climate Change Caucus and the World Resources Institute hosted a briefing on “State and Regional Climate Change Initiatives: What You Need to Know as the States Move Forward” in Rm. 2318, Rayburn House Office Building. Over sixty people were in attendance. Panelists included Janice Adair, Chair, Western Climate Initiative and Special Assistant, Washington State Department of Ecology ;
    Doug Scott, Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Franz Litz, Senior Fellow, World Resources Institute.

    On June 2, 2008 Lisa Jacobson, Executive Director, participated in a climate change briefing hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Energy Task Force, “The Basics of Climate Change & Cap-and-Trade.”  Other panelists included the Pew Center for Global Climate Change and the Environmental Defense Fund.

    On May 16, 2008 the Council sponsored a briefing for the House Climate Change Caucus on "Offsets as a Cost Containment Mechanism in a Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Program." The briefing was the continuation in a series of briefings the Council has sponsored for the Climate Change Caucus. Panelists included Reid Harvey, Branch Chief of EPA’s Climate Change Division; Ron Luhur, Carbon Markets Specialist, Environmental Defense Fund; and Marisa Buchanan, Associate Director, Carbon Markets, Econergy.

    On March 10, 2008 the Council co-sponsored a briefing with the American Gas Association (AGA) on "Climate Change: The Role Of Natural Gas." Paul Wilkinson, Vice President, Policy Analysis, AGA and Joel Bluestein, President, Energy & Environmental Analysis, Inc. were the featured speakers.

    On March 6, 2008 the Council held a briefing on "Technology Options and the Cost of Greenhouse Gas Reduction" in collaboration with the House Climate Change Caucus. This briefing was part of an ongoing series of briefings on market-based climate change programs addressing the advantages and limitations of these systems, their major legislative design elements, costs and impacts on the economy, jobs, human health and national security and energy reliability. Approximately thirty people were in attendance. Speakers included Matt Rogers, Director, McKinsey & Company; Thomas Casten, Chairman, Recycled Energy Development; and Scott Hennessey, Manager, Climate & Energy Markets, Solar Energy Industries Association.

    Staff Contact

    If you have any specific questions regarding this committee, please contact Ruth McCormick at the Council at rmccormick(at)bcse.org  or Tel: 202-785-0507.